Early 20thC Burmese Gilt Wood Guardian Lion /Foo Dog "Chinthe" -Thayo Decoration

Description

This 9" tall, Burmese guardian lion, (called a
chinthe
) is carved from a single piece of hardwood, probably teak, and decorated with gilded thayo work and inlaid with spangles of blue-green and clear glass.
Thayo is a putty created from tree sap that's mixed with ash or sawdust. It's applied to the carving and sculpted to create surface details, then covered with gold leaf and inlaid with the spangles of colored glass.  The thayo technique is centuries old, but this example appears to date to the early 20th century.
The 2 eyes and the 3 centers of the rosettes on the breastplate are clear glass cabochons.
The carving is chipped in a few places and you can see there the thickness of the layer of gold leaf. From the rich color, I would guess that it's a high karat.
Guardian lions are symbolic, protective statues. Smaller ones such as this one are used as good luck amulets for personal success in daily life.
This statue is in good condition despite the damage to the wood as shown and missing a few of the spangles,
Measures:
Height: 9"
Base: 3  1/8" x 6  1/4"
Weight: 1 lb. 6 oz.